Post by: funkmasterfresh on June 18, 2020, 12:46:45 PM
I'd really like to stick to the peninsula if I can. I like the idea of hiking the forest and being a bit more in the thick of things. It's way more my element and it's what I grew up in. Not to mention it's closer to me currently.
My boss told me to stick to east side for bear though. He said bear on the east feed on berries whereas west side bear typically go for fish. You can apparently taste the difference.
I believe him, I'm just curious how much of a difference it actually makes. Am I going to be severely bummed out trying to stomach my first bear if it came from the peninsula?
Post by: TooTallMike on June 18, 2020, 01:56:33 PM
Post by: WSU on June 18, 2020, 02:13:36 PM
Post by: opdinkslayer on June 18, 2020, 03:35:40 PM
Post by: Mtnwalker on June 18, 2020, 03:45:09 PM
Post by: 1Guy on June 18, 2020, 04:18:05 PM
Post by: Slow-drifter on June 18, 2020, 05:38:42 PM
Post by: funkmasterfresh on June 18, 2020, 07:37:42 PM
I know people like to keep honey holes in general, so I'm not looking for any specific spots. But I'm scouting X-Maps for GMU 638 and 636 seeing what areas I want to scout out, are those units even worth my time? I saw low hunter numbers in the harvest reports but also decent success rates. Is it just because you have to hike past a lot of the logging gates?
Post by: RobinHoodlum on June 18, 2020, 10:38:58 PM
Post by: funkmasterfresh on June 19, 2020, 09:18:31 AM
In all reality I'd rather bag a blacktail, but the skills to bag them seem much higher, and restrictions seem much lower on bear so I'll I'm going to focus on that front.
Post by: JimmyHoffa on June 19, 2020, 12:44:44 PM
Post by: WSU on June 19, 2020, 02:22:25 PM
Post by: Bango skank on June 19, 2020, 02:26:38 PM
The only bad bear I've had (it was really BAD) was one that I took to a butcher straight from the field because it was August and I wanted to cool it down. Probably should have bought coolers and ice. I assume they ground it fat and all. It was eating berries but about every 3rd bite would make you want to puke. I assume that is from lack of trimming the fat but I don't know.
They charge by the pound. Of course they just ground all the nasty crap into there. Bring coolers full of ice, bone that sucker out and remove fat, get meat on ice. Butcher at home. Save money, far better product.
Post by: dilleytech on June 19, 2020, 03:23:08 PM
The only bad bear I've had (it was really BAD) was one that I took to a butcher straight from the field because it was August and I wanted to cool it down. Probably should have bought coolers and ice. I assume they ground it fat and all. It was eating berries but about every 3rd bite would make you want to puke. I assume that is from lack of trimming the fat but I don't know.
Bear fat is delicious. And butchers generally suck.
Post by: dilleytech on June 19, 2020, 03:27:15 PM
My dad swears bear is the worst meat, but from what I've been reading (scored Steve Rinella's big/small game books) and the general consensus from talking to others so far is it's great, you just have to be a smidge picky on what you bag. And to ensure you freeze it whatfer trichinosis.
In all reality I'd rather bag a blacktail, but the skills to bag them seem much higher, and restrictions seem much lower on bear so I'll I'm going to focus on that front.
Bear meat is great. But remember it’s the cooking it well done to 165 that’s Important not the freezing part. I have come to the conclusion everyone who says bear meat is bad made that decision because someone else said it was bad. “It’s bad because everyone know bear is bad” old wise tails kinda things. All my life I have never had bad tasting meat..
Maybe a coastal brown bear living off salmon is a different story or something..
Post by: Pegasus on June 19, 2020, 03:35:28 PM
The only bad bear I've had (it was really BAD) was one that I took to a butcher straight from the field because it was August and I wanted to cool it down. Probably should have bought coolers and ice. I assume they ground it fat and all. It was eating berries but about every 3rd bite would make you want to puke. I assume that is from lack of trimming the fat but I don't know.
Bear fat is delicious. And butchers generally suck.
My Dad used to use bear fat as a hair loss treatment. Mom quickly put a stop to that nonsense so my Dad, unfortunately, ended up looking like a cueball.
Post by: Angry Perch on June 19, 2020, 04:10:06 PM
My dad swears bear is the worst meat, but from what I've been reading (scored Steve Rinella's big/small game books) and the general consensus from talking to others so far is it's great, you just have to be a smidge picky on what you bag. And to ensure you freeze it whatfer trichinosis.
In all reality I'd rather bag a blacktail, but the skills to bag them seem much higher, and restrictions seem much lower on bear so I'll I'm going to focus on that front.
Bear meat is great. But remember it’s the cooking it well done to 165 that’s Important not the freezing part. I have come to the conclusion everyone who says bear meat is bad made that decision because someone else said it was bad. “It’s bad because everyone know bear is bad” old wise tails kinda things. All my life I have never had bad tasting meat..
Maybe a coastal brown bear living off salmon is a different story or something..
I agree on cooking vs freezing for reliably killing trichinosis, but you don't need to get near 165.
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on June 19, 2020, 08:38:28 PM
Post by: 7mmfan on June 19, 2020, 09:33:29 PM
Post by: dilleytech on June 20, 2020, 09:12:35 AM
My dad swears bear is the worst meat, but from what I've been reading (scored Steve Rinella's big/small game books) and the general consensus from talking to others so far is it's great, you just have to be a smidge picky on what you bag. And to ensure you freeze it whatfer trichinosis.
In all reality I'd rather bag a blacktail, but the skills to bag them seem much higher, and restrictions seem much lower on bear so I'll I'm going to focus on that front.
Bear meat is great. But remember it’s the cooking it well done to 165 that’s Important not the freezing part. I have come to the conclusion everyone who says bear meat is bad made that decision because someone else said it was bad. “It’s bad because everyone know bear is bad” old wise tails kinda things. All my life I have never had bad tasting meat..
Maybe a coastal brown bear living off salmon is a different story or something..
I agree on cooking vs freezing for reliably killing trichinosis, but you don't need to get near 165.
Some places state 160, some 165. It’s not the same trik your hoping to kill in pork.
Post by: GASoline71 on June 21, 2020, 12:59:14 PM
Hoping for a berry fattened west side bruin this year myself.
Gary
Post by: dilleytech on June 22, 2020, 11:29:17 AM
In all the years I've hunted the west side (40+), I've never seen a bear eating fish. Only berries and stripping tree bark, or tearing apart stumps. I've hunted along rivers and streams, and have seen Black Bears near the water, but only drinking it or wading through, or swimming in it.
Hoping for a berry fattened west side bruin this year myself.
Gary
I see them eating fish along the banks of drano in southern wa in the summer time often. But I can’t hunt those bears so I can’t comment. The bears I have eaten are mostly eating berries or fruit and they all tasted the same.
Post by: Turner89 on July 13, 2020, 11:06:24 PM
That fish bear was the last animal I took into the butcher. Not because I doubt there work, just enjoy cutting them up myself.
Don't hunt the river for bear when the fish are spawning.🤮
Post by: Skyvalhunter on July 14, 2020, 05:52:53 AM
Post by: Sundance on July 14, 2020, 09:41:28 AM
Post by: konradcountry on July 16, 2020, 08:01:11 PM
Post by: duckmen1 on July 16, 2020, 08:09:42 PM
The trick with any game meat is to eat canada goose first.
If cooked properly it is amazing. Most overcook it and in my opinion that drastically changes the flavor and makes it disgusting. Yes I'm off topic I'm talking about goose. Medium to medium rare.
Post by: dilleytech on July 20, 2020, 09:30:28 PM
The trick with any game meat is to eat canada goose first.
That’s not fair.. goose is great.
Post by: huntingaddiction on July 21, 2020, 01:03:55 PM
Post by: konradcountry on July 21, 2020, 02:32:36 PM
The trick with any game meat is to eat canada goose first.
If cooked properly it is amazing. Most overcook it and in my opinion that drastically changes the flavor and makes it disgusting. Yes I'm off topic I'm talking about goose. Medium to medium rare.
Amazing? Ok send me a recipe. I've had it cooked medium rare and it was just OK. Better than farm goose, I'll give it that.
Post by: huntingaddiction on July 28, 2020, 06:01:01 AM
The trick with any game meat is to eat canada goose first.
If cooked properly it is amazing. Most overcook it and in my opinion that drastically changes the flavor and makes it disgusting. Yes I'm off topic I'm talking about goose. Medium to medium rare.
Amazing? Ok send me a recipe. I've had it cooked medium rare and it was just OK. Better than farm goose, I'll give it that.
I mostly get my bear beat done into summer sausage and breakfast sausage. Burger isn't bad either and I know people who love to do bear hams. Honestly, you have to be careful how you cook bear which is why I do this. Eating raw bear can give you trichinosis. I wouldn't do it.
Post by: Onewhohikes on July 28, 2020, 06:05:03 AM
Post by: konradcountry on July 28, 2020, 07:21:58 AM
The trick with any game meat is to eat canada goose first.
If cooked properly it is amazing. Most overcook it and in my opinion that drastically changes the flavor and makes it disgusting. Yes I'm off topic I'm talking about goose. Medium to medium rare.
Amazing? Ok send me a recipe. I've had it cooked medium rare and it was just OK. Better than farm goose, I'll give it that.
I mostly get my bear beat done into summer sausage and breakfast sausage. Burger isn't bad either and I know people who love to do bear hams. Honestly, you have to be careful how you cook bear which is why I do this. Eating raw bear can give you trichinosis. I wouldn't do it.
Oh I was talking about cooking goose medium rare.
I was joking that any game meat tastes great compared to Canada goose.
Post by: wannabhntr on July 28, 2020, 07:28:43 AM
Post by: huntingaddiction on July 28, 2020, 01:04:16 PM
The trick with any game meat is to eat canada goose first.
If cooked properly it is amazing. Most overcook it and in my opinion that drastically changes the flavor and makes it disgusting. Yes I'm off topic I'm talking about goose. Medium to medium rare.
Amazing? Ok send me a recipe. I've had it cooked medium rare and it was just OK. Better than farm goose, I'll give it that.
I mostly get my bear beat done into summer sausage and breakfast sausage. Burger isn't bad either and I know people who love to do bear hams. Honestly, you have to be careful how you cook bear which is why I do this. Eating raw bear can give you trichinosis. I wouldn't do it.
Oh I was talking about cooking goose medium rare.
I was joking that any game meat tastes great compared to Canada goose.
You're not really wrong! lol
Post by: huntingaddiction on July 28, 2020, 01:05:01 PM
No bears on the East side:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: OK, if you say so :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: